The Benefit Advent Calendar has been such an amazing treat to open everyday. Every product is one I will try and Benefit are such high quality I just know none will disapoint. The little jewellery items that were included were a nice touch but I used them as Christmas tree decoration instead of actually wearing them. I'll definitely be looking out for another one of these next year!

As I mentioned in my first post the cost was $68 USD and I ordered direct from the Benefit US Website as in Australia they were retailing at $99AUD.

Only 6 more days to open which of course means it's only 5 sleeps till Christmas Eve and 6 sleeps till the Big Day! I'm heading home to Newcastle to spend Christmas and New Years with my amazing family and I can't wait.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

I was pleasantly surprised to find my Bellabox had arrived nice and early this month! I thought they might have gone for a holiday season/Christmas special but there is no mention of anything like that.

Here's what was inside this month's box...

Bellabox December 2013

Bonus Tote Bag

9 Items in total with one being a bonus tote bag. The rest is mostly all sample size with one full-size makeup product.

Benefit Porefessional Primer

I'm a huge fan of Benefit so it's nice to see them feature in Bellabox. I've used this silicone based primer before and will happily keep this as a good travel size primer.

Romy Shampoo & Conditioner

I've never heard of this brand but these smell devine. Can't wait to try them!

Avene Relief Concentrate

This says it is for chronic redness. I have two things to say about this; I'm completely over seeing Avene samples and seriously Bellabox how many of your subscribers would actually have a problem with chronic redness - surely less than 5%.

Simple Kind to Eyes Makeup Remover

I've never had much luck with this brand but I'll give this a go. I normally use an oil based makeup remover so it easily breaks down mascara and eyeliner without too much pulling but this one is water-based so I'll be interested to see how it performs. Again this is a good size for travel.

Mary Kay Natural Cheek Tint - Pink Pearl

The colour of this blush is just stunning. It's a rosy pink with a gold sheen to it. Can't wait to try it out and I reckon this would also make a good eyeshadow.

Eslor Sample Pack- 4 Sachets

This is a fantastic pack that holds a Comforting Mask, Soothing Cream, Cleanser & a Replenishing Scrub. Another brand I haven't heard of but the prices indicate it's a high end brand. This is such an awesome way to be able to try out a few different things from one brand.

Bonus Mor Essentials Hand Cream- Neroli Concentrate

I will keep this handy in my bag for the next time I remember to use hand cream.

Bonus Tote Ba

This is slightly bigger than an A4 piece of paper and whilst I'm sure I'll put it to good use I audibly laughed at the RRP of $19.95 that Bellabox put on it. Nobody and I mean n.o.b.o.d.y in their right mind would pay $20 for this tiny piece of material.

All in all I think the box is great, theres quite a few things there that I look forward to trying out and it definitely holds more value to me than the $15 I paid for it which is always my measure for these kinds of subscription services.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Another big month of Empties for me and I even managed to use up a makeup product! I have about 10 foundations on the go so this is no easy feat.

Here's a breakdown on what I used up with my thoughts on each...

You, Me & Everybody Shady Lady SPF30+ Daily Face Milk

I loved this sunblock as it was 30+ but still really nice and light. It sunk into my skin brilliantly and didn't leave me with that sticky feeling. I used this up quite quickly as I was using it all over my body as well as my face.

Cocoa Butter Moisturiser Fragrance Free

I do love the original Cocoa Butter scent but I find it can be a bit too overpowering to wear during the day and just makes me want to eat chocolate haha. I picked this travel size up when I was visiting my parents a few weeks back. A thick hydrating cream which feels incredible on the skin.

Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo

My God this stuff is amazing. When I first tried this I found the texture to be so off-putting but the results are definitely worth it. This leaves my hair so lovely and clean without stripping it but the best part is the VOLUME! If you have fine hair, try it and thank me later!

Sanctuary Spa Ultimate Facial Cleansing Oil

Love this cleansing oil and will be going back for more!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush

Surprise surprise... Not! This is my Holy Grail dry shampoo.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Liquid Foundation

This is a fantastic full coverage foundation that manages to not go cakey on my skin. Am sad to have finished this and I'm still debating whether or not to pick up a new one or try something different. I do love this product and highly recommend you try it out if you're after full coverage.

Radox Muscle Soothe

A lovely basic bath soak. Enough said.

NOW Hyaluronic Acid

I picked this up from iherb when everyone was going crazy for Hydraluron. I figured it would be the same but less than half the price. I have no idea if it's the same or night but I used it under my moisturiser at night and noticed a subtle difference in the hydration on my skin. I still think I'll probably fall under the hype and try the Hydraluron and see if there is actually a difference. I'll keep you posted.

I purchased this amazing advent calendar from the Benefit Website for US$68 early in November and have been super excited to open each door up. Each week up until Christmas I'll be showing you the Benefit minis behind every door.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Another month, another round of Beauty boxes.... yes it is the 2nd December and yes this is my November Her Fashion Box and yes it did only arrive today. They had some problems and I'm not going to go on about it as some times things like this happen but I wish they had continued to send these boxes out in the first week of the month just like they did with the very first box.

Anyhow let's get on with it because this month's box had a whopping 11 items in it and I'm excited to show it to you....

Her Fashion Box November 2013

My favourite colour is Pink so I was very happy to delve into this box and check out all the lovely shades of pink! Included were 5 Beauty products and 6 Fashion Accesories.

Let's break it down

Her Fashion Box Beauty Products

At first glance I was annoyed to see yet another Modelco product (these keep appearing in all the beauty boxes and I'm getting over it) and ANOTHER two nailpolishes. However the Modelco product is a Black Long Wear Gel Eyeliner which I'm actually really keen to try out. I'm hoping it's awesome. Next up was a Soothing Body Balm from Urban Rituelle with a Coconut & Honey scent - YUM!! And two Orly Nailpolishes in Gumdrop and Peaceful Opposition. I've mentioned in posts before that my nails are always shellaced so I never use nailpolish and am getting tired of seeing them in all the Her Fashion Boxes - especially when they're two at a time but I'm sure I'll find someone to give them too and at least they're nice colours. And Orly chucked in a bonus pedicure separator. The value of the Beauty products alone in this months box is $70

Her Fashion Box November Accessories

Next up was the Fashion Accessories and there was a great assortment of different things. The Hair Donut caught my attention first, I'm not sure if my hair is long enough to use this but I'll definitely give it a try. A bundle of gold and hot pink bangles caught my eye next, followed by a baby pink and gold cuff bracelet, a soft floral headscarf and a soft pink lace inspired necklace. Even though there's quite a bit of gold here and I never normally wear gold I actually quite like these accessories. The only one I'm not sure about is the necklace but I'll see if I can find an outfit to wear it with and see how it looks.

There was also a bow ring which is just gorgeous but since this isn't featured in the book anywhere I think it may be the bonus for filling out the monthly survey

Her Fashion Box - Gold & White Bow Ring (nails are shellaced)

There was also a bonus Hallmark card which isn't featured here in the photos. It's from their latest range called The Signature Collection and the one I received is a greeting card with a mini chalkboard on the front which can be removed and reused well after the card has served it's purpose.

The value of the accessories (not including the ring which wasn't priced) totalled just under $75 which brings the total value of the box to over $140.

Overall I'm really impressed with this month's box - it was jam packed full of different things and I felt there was a good mix between beauty and fashion.

I love picking out my favourites to show you each month. It motivates me to change up the products I use and experiment with different things but also it gives me a chance to introduce you to things that I loooove but maybe haven't had a chance to do a full review on.

Let's get on with it...

MAC 6 Beauties Palette - Play it Cool

I have green eyes so purple shadows really make my eyes pop. This pallette is just divine and it's been the perfect spring 'look'. I got this in a blog sale so I don't think it's sold on counter anymore - probably a limited edition.

KORA Hydrating Mask

I've wanted to try KORA products for awhile and when I saw you could sign up to CLEO magazine and get this mask and a refreshing spray for free it was all the motivation I needed. To be honest I don't even read Cleo magazine but the subscription was cheaper than buying the products. Am I crazy for doing that?

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Cleansing Body Cream-Gel*

This body wash is divine. It's lovely and creamy and lathers up without getting foamy but best of all it is mega-hydrating. Absolutely loving this product.

Bondi Sands Wash Off Instant Tan*

Let's be honest here... I'm pasty white. If I want to wear a skirt or shorts I think it's in the publics best interest that I slap a little tan on so people aren't blinded by the bright light. Ok ok it's not that bad. Seriously though this product is fantastic at giving an instant tan. Spray on, rub in, let dry for a couple of minutes and you're good to go. Also it's rain-safe... I was wearing this and it started raining and I freaked out thinking I was gonna get brown dripping down my legs but it stayed on perfectly. Even in the shower you really have to scrub at it to get it off. Highly recommend this product.

Taylor Swift Wonderstuck Enchanted Perfume

You may have seen in my last empties post I finished up the original Wonderstruck and loved it. I wanted to try something a litte bit different but didn't stray too far when I picked up the Enchanted version. This perfume lasts a surprisingly long time and I love the sweet scent.

Loreal Nutri-Lift Gold Anti-Aging Serum Foundation

I think after all these years I may have found my holy grail foundation. The first time I put this on I just gave a massive sigh of releif. Ok so it's first world problems but I get so frustrated with trying to find a good coverage foundation that doesn't look like you've got heaps of makeup on. This foundation is medium to full coverage and has a dewy finish. It looks amazing on my skin and lasts all day with absolutely no powder or setting spray! I've got heaps to say so I'll save it for my full review or we'll be here all day.

Napoleon Perdis Auto-Pilot Primer

Been a huge fan of this primer for many a year now. Feels lovely and refreshing on the skin and helps makeup last longer. I honestly never put makeup on without a primer underneath anymore.

DMK Solar Damage Gel*

I did manage to get a bit too much sun a couple of weekends back when we went out on the river in our new boat. This gel is perfect for sunburn as it has a refreshing cooling feel to it and is loaded with hyaluronic acid to help soothe and get moisture back into your skin.

MAC Eye Kohl in Minted

I've been using this Emerald Green eyeliner in my waterline and bottom lash line with a nude smoky eye and it looks divine. It's not too much colour that I can't wear it to work but it's enough to be eye-catching. I highly recommend these MAC Eye Kohls - I have black as well and I find the formulation one of the best I've tried.

NYX Colour Balm in Merci

These lip balms are awesome - they give a good hit of colour at the same time as being smooth and hydrating on the lips. It smells like berries and has a great cool pink tone.

If you've got all the way to the end CONGRATS - I waffled on there a bit but sometimes I just get really excited about products :) Hope you've enjoyed this post, please let me know if you'd like to see full reviews on anything.

Kayte xx

Items marked with * were provided to me for my consideration. My views however are honest and completely my own. See my disclaimer policy for more details.